''Let Me Be a Woman: Notes to My Daughter on the Meaning of Womanhood'' is a 1976 book by Elisabeth Elliot that was published by Tyndale House in Wheaton, Illinois, United States. The book is 185 pages long and is about what is written about women in the Bible. The book also provides advice about marriage. Elliot gave the book to Valerie, her only child, as a gift on the day of her wedding. Elliot used the phrase "Let me be a woman" in response to

Christian egalitarianism Christian egalitarianism, also known as biblical equality, is egalitarianism based in Christianity. Christian egalitarians believe that the Bible mandates gender equality and equal responsibilities for the family unit and the ability for women to ...

, which she said was "not a goal to be desired ecauseit is a dehumanizing distortion." Her use of the phrase in this manner in 1977 at the National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas evoked considerable applause. The book contains several stories, the first of which telling about how God brought two people together from across the world into a romantic relationship with each other because of their obedience to God's leading. Another story is about the

murder of John and Betty Stam John Cornelius Stam (January 18, 1907 – December 8, 1934) and Elisabeth Alden "Betty" Stam (née Scott; February 22, 1906 – December 8, 1934) were American Christian missionaries to China, with the China Inland Mission (CIM), during the Chinese ...

, Christian martyrs. A prayer by Betty Stam is also included in the book. The prayer asks that the full will of God be done in her life, irrespective of the cost to herself. In 2003, Andrew Farmer of

Crosswalk.com Crosswalk.com is a Christian website, operated by the Salem Web Network, a division of Salem Communications Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM; formerly Salem Communications Corporation) is an American radio broadcaster, Internet content p ...

quoted a portion of the book in support of his argument that

singleness In legal definitions for interpersonal status, a single person refers to a person who is not in committed relationships, or is not part of a civil union. In common usage, the term 'single' is often used to refer to someone who is not involved in ...

is a spiritual gift that God gives to single people for the period in which they are single.

References

1976 non-fiction books American non-fiction books English-language books Books about spirituality Christian theology books Evangelical Christian literature 20th-century Christian texts Christian devotional literature 1976 in the United States 1976 in Christianity Marriage in Christianity Christianity and women Femininity Women in the United States Women's studies Books by Elisabeth Elliot {{Christian-book-stub